Hali Flickinger Downs Decades-Old US Open 200 Fly Record – 2:05.87

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

In prelims of the 200 fly Wednesday morning at the 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships, Georgia post-grad Hali Flickinger took down a US Open record set by Mary Meagher at 2:05.96 in 1981.

Flickinger split 28.69/31.44/32.59/33.15 en route to her lifetime best of 2:05.87. She has been swimming great all season, and is the overwhelming favorite to win the event tonight – even more so after breaking the 37-year-old record. She is now the No. 3 American performer of all-time, and No. 2 in the world this year.

Fastest American Performers
1 Mary Descenza 2:04.14
2 Kathleen Hersey 2:05.78
3 Hali Flickinger 2:05.87
4 Misty Hyman 2:05.88
5 Cammile Adams 2:05.90
6 Mary Meagher 2:05.96
7 Hali Flickinger 2:06.67
8 Kim Vandenberg 2:06.71
9 Elaine Breeden 2:06.75
10 Teresa Crippen 2:06.93
10 Katie McLaughlin 2:06.95

2017-2018 LCM WOMEN 200 FLY

AlysGBR
THOMAS
04/09
2.05.45
2Hali
FLICKINGER
USA2:05.8707/25
3Yufei
ZHANG
CHN2.06.1709/01
4Yilin
ZHOU
CHN2.06.2909/01
5Laura
TAYLOR
AUS2.06.8002/28
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Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel
6 years ago

Congratulations to Hali!

However, never underestimate the power of the Riptide Rocket!

Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel
6 years ago

The onus is on you to prove it.

Pineapple
6 years ago

THAT IS FLICKING FAST

TYR supports TYR
6 years ago

WOW! I was swimming same time, same state, with Meagher. She was incredible. BUT: I’m wondering if there is a better solution than a swim-off between 8th and 9th in the 200 fly. What about … hmm … either agree, or flip a coin, and one swims A final, lane 8, and the other swims B final, Lane 4. Whichever swims the faster time at night makes it into top 8 at whatever the time position is. I know, I know. Somebody in A final doesn’t get to watch their competition. Probably other stuff I didn’t think of. But really !!! Swim off ANOTHER 200 fly?

Ex Quaker
Reply to  TYR supports TYR
6 years ago

In their shoes, I’d opt for the coin flip. I don’t think Pike will be too disappointed by the best time and A final appearance, though.

SwimmerOH
Reply to  TYR supports TYR
6 years ago

All that you mentioned are viable options and certainly allowed within the rules. However, traditionally, that is not done because no one wants to concede to another (or at least the coaches don’t), plus there are championship team qualifications on the line, so A versus B final matters.

swim4fun
Reply to  TYR supports TYR
6 years ago

Coin toss is actually allowed, if both sides agree

dmswim
Reply to  TYR supports TYR
6 years ago

Swimswam did an article on the international team qualifications that were on the line for both swimmers. Making it into the A final made these qualifications significantly easier. That’s probably one of the reasons why they both decided to swim.

Jon Nap
6 years ago

Wow! Congrats Hali! Anyone know if there is a video of the race somewhere?

Swammer2005
6 years ago

Woo hoo! What an awesome much needed swim that I’m sure Hali feels great about. Hard work pays off!

meeeeee
6 years ago

just watched the Mary T video. Not taking anything away from Hali, but Mary T was in a normal suit and without goggles. Wow.

BaldingEagle
Reply to  meeeeee
6 years ago

NTM, narrower, shallower lanes, and no streamlines.

Dr Deluxe
Reply to  BaldingEagle
6 years ago

Not sure what you mean by shallower..it is a very deep pool with a huge diving well at one end and had (?) a working, hydraulic floor at the other end. It was called Walter Schroeder YMCA in Brown Deer ( suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Definitely deeper than ISHOF 50 mtr course. After all these years , it is STILL a great pool and continually hosting championships events. ( NCAA’s and Big Ten Championships in the early 1980’s also)

Hswimmer
Reply to  meeeeee
6 years ago

Bet Mary T would have been under 2:00 with a tech suit and goggles

Noflykick
Reply to  meeeeee
6 years ago

Meagher’s swim was epic. One for the ages. The record is now gone, congrats to Flickinger, but even if she goes 2-double-O tonight, it can’t take away from that ridiculous swim at Brown Deer. Two great swims, separated by 37 years.

Admin
Reply to  Noflykick
6 years ago

Yeah…if Flickinger goes 2:00 tonight, I’m going to call that a better swim, even in context of time and place.

Aquajosh
Reply to  Noflykick
6 years ago

Mary T retired believing she had a 2:01, and at the very least 2:03 in her. Can you imagine?

MTK
Reply to  meeeeee
6 years ago

I have to think that adjusting for era though, Meagher’s swim is one of the greatest of all time. Her 100 and 200fly WRs lasted basically 20 years each. Is there any other event right now where a time from 35+ years ago would be in medal contention? A brief look through WR progression says: no, not even close.

So basically, all I’m saying is that Meagher’s swims are legendary and she was so far out in front of everyone else, the world took a long time to catch up after she retired.

AA aa
Reply to  meeeeee
6 years ago
Love to Swim
Reply to  AA aa
6 years ago

One of the greatest swim of all time, if not the greatest.

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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